Archdiocesan Synodal Synthesis Report
A synodal Church is a path along which the People of God walk or journey together to announce the Good News of Jesus Christ. The Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston collected 385 synodal listening session reports and 502 online contributions, Oct. 2021–April 2022, totaling 515,000 words from 8,900 participants coming from 83% of our parishes.
The purpose was for the faithful to reflect upon Pope Francis’ call for the Church to invoke the Holy Spirit to guide Her into deeper communion and participation in life in Christ, and commitment to the Church’s evangelizing mission.
The Galveston-Houston Synodal Report includes the processes and milestones, turning points, and spiritual dimensions that were present. It is followed by a summary of reflections on our joint experiences, a shared responsibility to proclaim the Gospel, pivotal moments of inclusion, subconscious patterns of exclusion, companions on the journey, the Holy Spirit at work, gifts of the Holy Spirit, and concludes with pathways that may be open for the Church in its quest to journey together as a synodal Church moving forward.
Read the Full Report Here
U.S. National Synthesis for the 2021-2023 Synod
The National Synthesis of the People of God in the United States of America. The synthesis marks the completion of the Diocesan Phase of the 2021-2023 Synod: For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, and Mission, available in both English and Spanish.
Read the National Synthesis Report on the USCCB Website
Towards a Spirituality for Synodality
One of the most significant aspects of the 2021-2023 Synod is the recognition that it is informed and shaped by a spirituality. In developing a ‘spirituality for synodality’, we find that it assists us in integrating our theological reflection and expanding our experience of the Church as we engage more deeply in the synodal process. Indeed, as the features of a synodal spirituality unfold for us, we can come to see in it the ways in which the Holy Spirit graces the life of the Church, drawing each one into a deeper love of Christ and moving us to desire an ever greater communion, participation, and mission.
The purpose of this paper is not to give a detailed analysis of the spirituality for synodality and its theological foundations. This important work needs to be done, but it will require more extensive treatment than is possible here. Rather, it is hoped that the foundations, nature and significance of a spirituality for synodality can be developed in the light of the synodal process itself, drawing on the experience of the whole Church.